For several decades, the development of psychoanalysis was accompanied by the popularization of psychoanalytic ideas and their integration into various fields of knowledge, such as science, religion, and philosophy. After the release of this concept on the international arena, it became so widely used and widespread in the psychological, artistic and medical literature of the 20th century that it turned into an indefinite and incomprehensible one.
The first to introduce this concept was Sigmund Freud. In 1896 he published an article in French on the etiology of neuroses. At that time, such a concept was interpreted as a kind of therapeutic technique. Then it received the name of a science that investigated the unconscious mental activity of the individual. And over time, it turned into a concept that could be applied in all spheres of life, not only of a person, but also of world culture.
The uncertainty in the designation of the concept of psychoanalysis is mainly caused by the not fully thought-out interpretation on the part of many scientists, doctors and researchers of the theories, concepts, and ideas once described by Freud. However, the ambiguity of this concept is explained not only by these factors. In the works of Freud himself, several definitions of psychoanalysis can be seen. They are not only related to each other, but in a certain context they interchange, contradict each other, which is a difficult factor in understanding the definition of psychoanalysis.
The traditional definition of psychoanalysis is as follows - a set of psychological methods, ideas and theories aimed at explaining unconscious connections using the associative process.
This concept became widespread in Europe (early 20th century) and in the USA (mid-20th century), as well as in some Latin American countries (second half of the 20th century).
Popular definitions of psychoanalysis
As mentioned earlier, there are quite a few interpretations of psychoanalysis. If we take a certain interpretation as a starting point, then the ground for a detailed study and understanding of the concept disappears. Therefore, we will try to give its characteristics, described by Freud in his works. So, psychoanalysis has the following definitions:
One of the subsystems of psychology as a science that explored the unconscious;
one of the main means of scientific research;
method of research and description of the processes of psychology;
a peculiar tool, for example, as a calculation of small quantities;
concept with which I can master IT(consciousness - unconscious);
one of the means of research in various spheres of spiritual life;
type of self-knowledge of oneself as a person;
research on therapeutic techniques;
a method for ridding oneself of mental suffering;
a medical method with which it is possible to treat certain forms of neuroses.
As you can see, psychoanalysis can be considered both a science and an art. Moreover, it occupies a place between philosophy and medicine.
However, is it possible to classify psychoanalysis as a science that would be able to study and explain the unconscious drives and desires of a person? Is it the art of interpreting dreams, literary texts and cultural phenomena? Or is it still a common method of treatment that is widely used in psychotherapy?
The answers to these questions directly depend on the angle of view of Freud's psychoanalytic teachings about culture and man. Thus, the question of the scientific status of this concept remains unanswered, despite the numerous efforts of experienced scientists and researchers to confirm or refute all kinds of psychoanalytic theories, methods and concepts. Some researchers (who are supporters of classical psychoanalysis) believe that psychoanalysis can be considered to be the same studied science as, for example, chemistry or physics. Others say that psychoanalysis in no way can meet the requirements of science (K. Popper) and is an ordinary myth (L. Wittgenstein) or an intellectual delusion of a person endowed with fantasy and imagination, which was Freud. Some philosophers, for example, J. Habermas and P. Ricoeur, believe that psychoanalysis is hermeneutics.
The most complete definition of the concepts of psychoanalysis can also be found in the encyclopedic article "Psychoanalysis and Theory" of Libido, which was written by Freud. There he made the following interpretations:
A method of research and definition of mental processes that are inaccessible to conscious understanding;
one of the methods of therapy for neuroses;
several emerging and constantly evolving psychological constructs that, over time, may recreate a new scientific discipline.
Background, goals and ideas of psychoanalysis
The main premise of psychoanalysis is the division of the psyche into two categories: the unconscious and the conscious. Any more or less educated psychoanalyst does not consider consciousness to be the main link in the psyche and proceeds from the fact that unconscious desires and aspirations are the predetermining factor in human thinking and actions.
Speaking about the causes of most mental and emotional disorders, it should be noted that many of them are rooted in childhood experiences that have a destructive effect on the child’s psyche, unconscious desires and sexual desires, and, as a result of aggressive, colliding with cultural and moral norms existing in society. . Because of this, a mental conflict is born, which can be resolved by getting rid of the "bad" inclinations and desires that are rooted in the mind. But they cannot simply disappear without a trace, they only go into the depths of the psyche of the individual and sooner or later will make themselves felt. Thanks to sublimation mechanisms (switching aggressive and sexual energy to good intentions and acceptable goals), they can turn into creativity, scientific activities, but they can also push a person to illness, i.e. neurotic way of resolving the life contradictions and problems facing a person.
In theory, the main goal of psychoanalysis is to reveal the meaning and significance of the unconscious in the life of an individual, to reveal and understand the mechanisms of functioning that are responsible for the human psyche. The main psychoanalytic ideas include the following:
There are no accidents and coincidences in the psyche;
the events of the first years can affect (both positively and negatively) the subsequent development of the child;
the oedipus complex (the unconscious drives of the child, which are accompanied by the expression of loving and aggressive emotions towards parents) is not only the main cause of neuroses, but also the main source of morality, society, religion and culture;
The structure of the mental apparatus has three areas - the unconscious IT(drives and instincts that originate in the somatic structure and manifest themselves in forms that are not subject to consciousness), the conscious self (having the function of self-preservation and control over actions and demands IT, as well as always striving for satisfaction at any cost) and hypermoral SUPER-I, which is the authority of parents, social requirements and conscience.
The two fundamental drives of man are the drive for life. (Eros) and to death (Thanatos), which includes a destructive instinct.
In clinical practice, psychoanalysis is used to eliminate the symptoms of neurotic by bringing the patient to awareness of his unconscious desires, actions and drives in order to understand them and subsequently not use these intrapsychic conflicts. Using numerous analogies, Freud compared therapeutics to the work of a chemist and archaeologist, as well as the influence of a teacher and the intervention of a doctor.
Lecture by A.V. Rossokhina Mysteries of modern psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is one of the directions in psychological science, which is based on the definition of anxieties and internal conflicts of the individual, hidden in the depths of the subconscious. Such conflicts can be one of the causes of psycho-emotional trauma. The founder of this trend is Sigmund Freud, who devoted his life to the study of unconscious processes. Thanks to his teachings, psychologists around the world got the opportunity to work with the motives of the behavioral model hidden in the subconscious of the individual. Let's find out what psychoanalysis is in psychology and talk about the basics of this doctrine.
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory founded by the Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud, as well as a method of the same name for the treatment of mental disorders.Fundamentals of psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is one of the psychological teachings that considers the human personality in the form of a struggle between consciousness and the subconscious. This confrontation affects the level of emotional perception and self-esteem, and also determines the degree of interaction with the outside world. Most often, the source of conflict between the subconscious and consciousness is the negative life experience gained by a person throughout his life. Human nature is arranged in such a way that each person tries to avoid various types of pain and is aimed at finding pleasure.
Psychoanalysis is a branch that studies the interaction between the unconscious and conscious areas.
The theory of psychoanalysis is built on the assertion that the human personality is based on three components: the unconscious, preconscious and conscious parts. Each of these components are interchangeable and dependent on each other. The preconscious part contains human desires and fantastic ideas. Focusing on such stimuli moves them from the preconscious part to the realm of consciousness. Morality and morality are social values that determine the human personality. Their influence on the perception of certain life events can cause the mind to perceive various life situations as painful or acceptable. With painful perception, memories of traumatic circumstances are deposited in the unconscious area.
Such life experience, as it were, is separated from the rest, with the help of invisible barriers. Human psychoanalysis is based on two analytical mechanisms:
- The study of spontaneous actions that are committed throughout life.
- Analysis of personality, with the help of associations and interpretations of dreams.
Freud's theory
The human behavioral model is regulated by consciousness. Research on this topic helped Sigmund Freud to reveal the existence of a certain layer that is responsible for various lusts and inclinations. Since Freud was a practitioner, in his research he determined the existence of a whole layer of motives, which are called unconscious.
The goal of psychoanalytic therapy is to be able to unravel a person's personality, and not just calm him down. According to Freud, it is precisely such motives that are the root cause of the occurrence of diseases of the nervous system and the human psyche. Thanks to this discovery, scientists have been able to find the means that can stop the struggle within the patient's personality. One of these means was the method of psychoanalysis, which is a method of resolving internal conflicts. The treatment of neuropathic pathologies was not Freud's main goal. This great scientist sought to find methods that would help restore the mental health of the patient as much as possible. Through trial and error, a theory of analysis of the patient's personality was developed, which is widely used today.
The uniqueness and effectiveness of Freud's methodology has become highly widespread and has become one of the most famous "tools" for restoring the psyche. The classical version of psychoanalysis should be regarded as a kind of revolution in psychological science.
What is the theory of psychoanalysis
What does psychoanalysis study? The basis of this teaching is based on the assumption that the behavioral model has in its nature unconscious motives that are hidden deep within the personality. The middle of the last century can be characterized as a revolution in psychological science, since the world was presented with methods that allow you to look at the internal psychological tension from a new point of view.
According to Freud, the human personality consists of three components. They received the names "Super-I", "I" and "It". "It" - the unconscious part of the personality, in which various objects of gravity are hidden. "I" is a continuation of "It" and arises under the influence of external forces. "I" is one of the most complex mechanisms, the functionality of which covers both the conscious and unconscious levels. Based on this, it follows that the "I" is one of the tools to protect the psyche from external influences.
Many of the mechanisms that protect the psyche from damage are prepared at birth for the influence of external stimuli. However, the violation of the process of personality formation and the negative microclimate that prevails within the family can become a source of various pathologies. In this case, the influence of objective reality leads to a weakening of the defense mechanisms and causes distortions. It is the force of curvature of the adaptive defense mechanisms that leads to the emergence of mental disorders.
Psychoanalysis is a method of scientific observation, the study of personality: its desires, drives, impulses, fantasies, early development and emotional disorders. Psychoanalysis as a direction of psychology
The definition of the characteristics of the human psyche, proposed by Freud, has become very widespread in psychology. To date, many modern methods of psychotherapeutic correction have been built on this theory. Jung's analytical psychoanalysis and Adler's individual psychoanalysis are one of the main "tools" for identifying internal conflicts that are sources of pathological perception.
The theories of the aforementioned scientists are based on the research of Sigmund Freud. The main difference between these methods is the limited importance of sexual motives. Thanks to the followers of Freud, the unconscious part of the personality received new characteristics. According to Adler, the manifestation of lust for power is a compensation for an inferiority complex.
Jung's research was based on the study of the collective unconscious. According to the scientist, the unconscious part of the individual's psyche is based on hereditary factors. According to Freud himself, the unconscious level is filled with phenomena that were pushed out of the conscious part of the psyche.
Use of psychoanalysis in psychology
The method of psychoanalysis is based on three main elements that fully reveal the whole concept of this teaching. The first element is a kind of stage at which material is collected for study. The second element involves careful study and analysis of the data obtained. The third element is interaction using the data obtained as a result of the analysis. Various techniques are used to collect information, including the method of confrontation, associations and transference.
The method of building free associations is based on creating a model of situations that exactly repeat certain life events. This approach allows you to identify certain processes occurring at the unconscious level of the psyche. The use of this method makes it possible to obtain data on pathological processes in order to further correct mental disorders. Correction is carried out by understanding internal conflicts and the causes of their occurrence. One of the important conditions in the use of this method is the creation of a strong communicative relationship between the psychologist and the patient, aimed at eliminating psychological discomfort.
Psychoanalysis studies the internal, coming from the subconscious, driven by instincts and the principle of pleasure, the tension of a person. To do this, the patient must voice every thought that is born in his head. These thoughts may be obscene or borderline absurd. In order to achieve a high result, it is necessary to create the right relationship between the doctor and the patient. The transfer technique implies the unconscious transfer of the characteristic personality traits of the patient's parents to the attending physician. Thus, the patient relates to the doctor in the same way as he treated close relatives in early childhood. At the same time, the substitute person gets the opportunity to identify children's desires, grievances and psychological trauma received during the formation of the personality.
It is important to note that psychotherapeutic intervention often encounters the phenomenon of internal resistance emanating from the patient. It manifests itself in the form of a failure to comprehend causal relationships and a violation of the process of creating a new model of behavior. The cause of resistance is an unconscious refusal to touch internal conflicts, which is accompanied by the appearance of obstacles on the way to identifying the cause of mental disorders.
The main task of personality analysis is to perform four sequential actions:
- interpretation;
- working out;
- clarification;
- opposition.
Further, the joint efforts of the patient and the psychologist are aimed at achieving a specific goal, which was identified as a result of the analysis. The technique of interpreting dreams involves the interpretation of dreams, which are a deformed form of unconscious motives.
Modern theory of psychoanalysis
Such representatives of psychoanalysis as Alfred Adler, Jacques Lacan, Karen Horney and Carl Jung made an invaluable contribution to the development of this area of psychology. It was their modified theory of classical psychoanalysis that made it possible to create new methods for revealing the hidden properties of the human psyche. Over the course of a hundred years that have passed since the advent of the method of psychoanalysis, various principles have appeared, on the basis of which a multi-level system has been built that combines various approaches to resolving internal conflicts.
Thanks to the followers of Freud, whole complexes of psychotherapeutic correction appeared, which contain methods for studying the unconscious part of the human psyche. One of these methods is the release of the personality from those restrictions that are created in the subconscious area and hinder personal development.
To date, the methodology of psychoanalysis includes three main branches that are complementary and interconnected with each other:
- Applied form of psychoanalysis- is used to identify and study general cultural factors with the help of which certain social issues are resolved.
- Clinical form of psychoanalysis- a method of therapeutic assistance to people faced with internal conflicts that provoke the occurrence of neuropsychic pathologies.
- Psychoanalytic ideas- which are a kind of ground for the construction of methods of actual correction.
A person who has undergone psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy will be able to radically change himself and his life. Psychoanalysis has a high degree of distribution in various fields of science. Psychoanalysis in philosophy is a peculiar method of interpreting the foundations and mores established in society. The classical form of psychoanalysis was one of the reasons for the development of the sexual revolution, since it is in it that the concept of sexual desire is expressed most clearly. Today's form of psychoanalysis is based on ego psychology and object relations teachings.
To date, the use of the method of analyzing the patient's personality helps to cope with both neurotic diseases and complex mental disorders. Thanks to the constant improvement of this area, scientists every day identify new ways to eliminate various pathologies. A huge contribution to the improvement of this branch was made by the followers of Freud, whose teaching was called neo-Freudianism. However, despite the high prevalence and application in various fields, the theory of psychoanalysis often faces criticism. According to some scientists, this direction is pseudoscience and has undeservedly gained such high popularity.
Psychoanalysis is a methodology based on the study, identification, analysis of the anxieties of the individual repressed from consciousness, hidden or suppressed, which obviously traumatized his psyche.
For the first time, the term psychoanalysis in psychology was introduced by Sigmund Freud, who worked on the study of unconscious processes occurring in the human psyche and on motivations deeply hidden in the human subconscious.
Based on the foundations of the methodology, human nature is considered from the point of view of the confrontation of the tendencies of the antipodes. It is psychoanalysis that makes it possible to see how unconscious confrontation affects not only personal self-esteem, but also the emotionality of a person, his connections with his immediate environment, individual social institutions.
Usually the source of the conflict is localized in the conditions of the individual's experience, and since people are both social and biological beings, their main biological aspiration is the search for pleasure while avoiding any form of pain.
A closer examination of the theory of psychoanalysis reveals the presence of three elementary, interdependent and complementary parts: conscious, preconscious and unconscious.
It is in the preconscious that a significant number of fantasy impulses and desires of the individual are concentrated. At the same time, if it is enough to focus on the goal, then it is quite possible to redirect such desires into the conscious. Those events that, due to the existing moral and moral guidelines of the individual, are denied by him as permissible, and perhaps, are regarded as painful and therefore move to the unconscious part.
It is this part of the acquired experience that is separated from the other two by a wall, in connection with which it is useful to understand that psychoanalysis is precisely focused on the existing relationships between parts of the conscious and the unconscious.
It is worth noting that psychoanalysis in psychology operates with deep analytical mechanisms, such as:
- the study of spontaneous actions performed in everyday life;
- research using independent associations, through the interpretation of dreams.
Psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud
Human behavior is primarily regulated by his consciousness. Freud found out that behind the signboard of consciousness there is a certain layer of it, which is unconscious of the individual, but induces him to many lusts and inclinations. Due to the specifics of his activities, he was a medical practitioner, stumbled upon a whole layer of unconscious motives.
In many cases, it was they who became the source of nervous and mental illnesses. The discovery made contributed to the search for means that could help the patient get rid of the confrontation between the obvious and hidden in the depths of consciousness. The result was the psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud - a means of spiritual release.
Not stopping at the treatment of neuropathic disorders, Freud, striving for the maximum revival of the mental health of patients, developed the theoretical principles of psychoanalysis and put them into practice.
Due to its uniqueness, the proposed technology for the restoration of mental health has gained wide popularity and popularity over time. In the classical version, psychoanalysis announced the birth of a completely new system of psychology, and this event is often called the psychoanalytic revolution.
Theory of psychoanalysis
The main idea of the theory of psychoanalysis by Z. Freud is that the motives of a person's behavior are mostly not realized by him and therefore are completely unobvious. The beginning of the twentieth century was marked by the emergence of a new mental model, which made it possible to look at the manifestation of internal psychological tension from a completely different angle.
Within the framework of the created model, three key components were identified, named: "It", "I", "Super-I". The object of gravity of each individual is "It", and all the processes occurring in it are completely unconscious. "It" is the germ of "I", which is molded from it under the influence of the environment surrounding the individual. At the same time, the “I” is a very complex set of identification with other “Selves”, which operates in the planes of the conscious, preconscious and unconscious, playing the role of psychological protection at all these levels.
The existing defense mechanisms are already initially prepared for the adaptation of subjects to the demands of the external environment, as well as to the internal reality. However, due to the wrong development of the psyche, the natural forms of adaptation within the family suddenly turn into the center of the emergence of serious problems. Any protection applied in parallel with the weakening of the influence of reality turns out to be an additional distorting factor. Due to extremely significant distortions, adaptive defense methods are transformed into a phenomenon of psychopathology.
Psychoanalytic direction
Modern psychology is characterized by a large number of vectors of application of the efforts of working psychologists, one of the main among them is the psychoanalytic direction, determined by the roots that go back to the primary research of Z. Freud. After them, Alfred Adler's work on individual psychoanalysis and Carl Jung's analytical psychoanalysis are best known.
Both supported the idea of the unconscious in their work, but were inclined to limit the significance of sexual urges. As a result, the unconscious was painted with new colors. In particular, Adler spoke of lust for power as a compensatory tool for feeling inferiority.
At the same time, Jung consolidated the concept of the collective unconscious, his ideas were not at all in the personified saturation of the psyche of the individual with the unconscious, but due to the influence of ancestors on him. Moreover, Freud assumed that the unconscious psyche of each subject is filled with phenomena that were pushed out of consciousness for one reason or another.
Methods of psychoanalysis
At its core, the concept of psychoanalysis is divided into three key stages that hide the methods of psychoanalysis. At the first of them, analytical material is developed, at the second it is researched and analyzed, the third involves working interaction based on the results of the study. When working out the material, the methods of free associations, reactions of transfer and confrontation are used.
The methodological principle of free associations is based on the ability to transfer one situation to another in order to identify and understand certain processes that occur at the deep levels of the psyche, and to a greater extent unconsciously. In the future, the extracted data is used to correct the mental disorders of the client through his awareness of the existing problems and their causes. An important point in the application of this technique is the joint purposeful activity of the psychologist and the client in the direction of combating the latter's feelings of psychological discomfort.
The technique is based on the patient voicing the thoughts that come into his head, even if these thoughts border on complete absurdity and obscenity. The effectiveness of the technique lies in the relationship that arises between the patient and the psychotherapist. It is based on the phenomenon of transfer, which consists in the unconscious transfer of the qualities of the patient's parents to the therapist. That is, a transfer is made in relation to the psychologist of those feelings that the client experienced at his early age to the subjects who were in his immediate environment, a projection of early childhood desires is performed on the substitute person.
The course of understanding the existing cause-and-effect relationships, the fruitful transformation of the accumulated personal views and principles with the rejection of the old and the formation of new behavioral norms, is usually accompanied by significant internal opposition from the patient. Resistance is an actual phenomenon that accompanies any psychotherapeutic intervention, regardless of its form. The essence of such a confrontation is that there is a strong desire for unwillingness to touch the unconscious internal conflict with the parallel emergence of significant obstacles to identifying the real causes of personal problems.
At the stage of research and analysis, four consecutive steps are performed, which can be carried out in different order, these are: opposition, interpretation, clarification, working out.
The next stage is a working interaction, which is based on a strong relationship between the client and the psychiatrist, which makes it possible to achieve a purposeful coordination of actions within the framework of the analytical situation formed as a result of the analysis. As for the methodology of interpreting dreams, it lies within the framework of the search for the deformed unconscious truths hidden behind every dream.
Modern psychoanalysis
The conceptual research of Sigmund Freud formed the basis of modern psychoanalysis, which at the moment is a dynamically progressing technology for revealing the innermost properties of the human essence.
Over a period of more than a hundred years, a significant number of changes have occurred that have radically changed the principles of the approach to psychoanalysis, as a result, a multi-tiered system has been built that embraces a variety of views and approaches.
As a result, an analytical tool has appeared that combines a number of complex approaches that are conducive to the study of aspects of a person's mental existence that are unconscious to man. Among the priority goals of psychoanalytic work is the release of individuals from unconsciously built restrictions that are the cause of the lack of progress in development.
At the present stage of development, there are three main directions in which the further development of psychoanalysis takes place, which exist as complements to each other, and not as separate unrelated branches.
Stand out:
- psychoanalytic ideas that build the basis for building factual approaches;
- applied psychoanalysis, aimed at analyzing and discovering general cultural phenomena, at resolving certain social problems;
- clinical psychoanalysis used for personalized support for those who are faced with a complex of personal barriers of a psychological nature, with neuropsychiatric disorders.
During the period of the formation of psychoanalysis, the concept of sexual drives, underdeveloped sexuality seemed to be the main one, but at the current stage of the development of methodology, the main preference is given to ego psychology, the idea of object relations, and this happens against the background of the ongoing transformation of the very technique of psychoanalysis.
Far from being the only treatment of neurotic states is the goal of psychoanalytic practices. Despite the use of psychoanalysis techniques to eliminate neuroses, its modern technologies make it possible to successfully cope with more complex problems from everyday psychological difficulties to the most complex psychological disorders.
And in the end, it is worth noting that the most widespread branches of psychoanalysis, which include neo-Freudianism and structural psychoanalysis.
PSYCHOANALYSIS (PA)
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th century by the Austrian psychotherapist Sigmund Freud (Freud), which has become one of the extremely influential methods of treating mental disorders based on this theory. Psychoanalysis has been expanded, criticized and developed in various directions, mainly by former colleagues and students of Freud, such as A. Adler and C.G. Jung, who subsequently developed their own schools of analytical and individual psychology, which, together with psychoanalysis, constituted the so-called Depth Psychology. Later, the ideas of PA were developed by neo-Freudians such as Erich Fromm, Karen Horney, Harry Stack Sullivan, Jacques Lacan. A huge contribution to PA was made by the works of W. Reich, Anna Freud, M. Klein, D. Winnicott, H. Kohut and other psychoanalysts.
PA has been around for over a hundred years. During this time, it has undergone a huge evolution both in theory and practice. The classical theory put forward by 3. Freud has been rethought many times. Within psychoanalysis, new directions began to emerge: Ego psychology, the tradition of object relations, the school of M. Klein, structural psychoanalysis of J. Lacan, I-psychology of H. Kohut (psychology of the Self). Much has changed in the views on the development process. On the one hand, more attention began to be paid to the early stages of development: the emphasis shifted from the Oedipal to the pre-Oedipal period. On the other hand, in contrast to the classical theory, which paid great attention to drives, modern psychoanalytic theories began to take into account other factors: the development of object relations, the development of the Self, etc. In addition, the model of intrapsychic conflict was supplemented and enriched by the deficit model. Now it is generally accepted that the unsuccessful, traumatic passage of the early stages of development, the violation of object relations in the mother-child dyad leads to the formation of a deficit in mental life.
Changing views on the development of the psyche led to a revision of psychoanalytic technique. Thus, for example, thanks to the work of ego psychologists who developed the theory of defense mechanisms, an important technical principle of analysis from the surface into depth was formulated. The shift of interpretive activity from the pole of drives to the defensive pole of intrapsychic conflict made it possible to make the psychoanalytic technique of working with resistance more flexible and less painful for patients. As a result of the development of object relations theory and the revision of the theory of narcissism by self-psychology, there have been great changes in the understanding of transference and countertransference, which has significantly expanded the circle of patients who can now be helped by psychoanalytic treatment.
PA has long been an integral part of modern culture. It is not only a method of psychotherapy, but also a rather rich theoretical and literary tradition, with which the Russian-speaking reader, who is interested in the problems of depth psychology and psychotherapy, is still little familiar. For several decades, we were cut off from world psychoanalytic thought, despite the fact that at the beginning of the century psychoanalysis had great prospects in our country (this was evidenced by the fact that almost a third of the members of the International Psychoanalytic Association spoke Russian). The Russian PA had a fairly large potential both in the clinical and theoretical fields. In Russia at that time there was a developed psychiatry, which could become the basis for clinical psychoanalysis. Speaking about theory, the contribution of Russian psychoanalysts can be illustrated by the fact that, largely due to the work of Sabina Spielrein “Destruction as the Cause of Becoming” 3, Freud proposed a new look at the theory of drives.
But, having received rapid development in the 10-20s of the 20th century, the PA in our country was then destroyed. Only in the last twenty years has it come out of hiding and a slow process of recovery has begun. In the early 90s, Freud's main works were again republished in huge editions. Later, the domestic reader was able to get acquainted with other, more modern psychoanalytic texts. But in our country little is known about what has happened to PA over the past century. The books that are translated and published in Russian are just fragments of a mirror that reflects the history of psychoanalytic thought. Unfortunately, the works of many outstanding theorists and practitioners of psychoanalysis, such as R. Feuerburn, M. Balint, V. Bion, M. Maller, Fawkes, and many others, are still awaiting publication.
The main provisions of the Modern PA are still based on the classic PA:
- human behavior, experience and knowledge are largely determined by internal and irrational drives;
- these drives are mostly unconscious;
- attempts to become aware of these drives lead to psychological resistance in the form of defense mechanisms;
- in addition to the structure of personality, individual development is determined by the events of early childhood;
- conflicts between conscious perception of reality and unconscious (repressed) material can lead to mental disorders such as neurosis, neurotic character traits, fear, depression, and so on;
- liberation from the influence of unconscious material can be achieved through awareness of it
Modern psychoanalysis in a broad sense is more than 20 concepts of human mental development. Approaches to psychoanalytic therapeutic treatment vary as much as the theories themselves.
Classical Freudian psychoanalysis refers to a specific type of therapy in which the "analysant" (analytic patient) verbalizes thoughts, including free associations, fantasies and dreams, from which the analyst attempts to infer and interpret the unconscious conflicts that are the causes of the patient's symptoms and character problems. for the patient, to find a way to solve problems. The specificity of psychoanalytic interventions usually involves confrontation and clarification of the patient's pathological defenses and desires.
The main method of PA is the method of free associations, the main subject of study is the unconscious.
It was Z. Freud who brought out two models (topics) of the psyche, which became the basis for all types of psychotherapy. The first topic is consciousness-preconscious-unconscious.
The second topic - Over I - I - It or Super Ego - Ego - Id
The first topic of Z. Freud
Historians of psychoanalysis, whether psychoanalysts or other psychologists, point out that during the long period of development of psychoanalysis, Freud applied a topographical model of personality organization. According to this model of personality psychology, mental life can be divided into three levels: consciousness, preconscious and unconscious. Considering them in unity, Freud, as a psychologist and psychotherapist, used this "psychic map" to show the degree of consciousness of such mental phenomena as thoughts, dreams, fantasies and to reveal the essence of such phenomena as neurosis, depression, fear - the results of stress or deviations. in development requiring psychological assistance - professional psychologist consultation and psychotherapy.
The second topic of Z. Freud
Later, Z. Freud introduced three main structures into the anatomy of personality: It, I and Super-I (the English translations of Freud and the English language PA use the Latin equivalents of these terms - Id, Ego and Superego). This tripartite division of personality is known as structural model mental life, although Freud believed that these components should be considered more as certain processes than as special "structures" of the personality. Freud understood that the constructs he proposed were hypothetical, since the level of development of neuroanatomy at that time was not sufficient to determine their localization in the central nervous system. The sphere of the id is completely unconscious, while the ego and superego operate on all three levels of consciousness. Consciousness covers all three personal structures, although its main part is formed by impulses emanating from the It. Freud considered the id as an intermediary between somatic and mental processes in the body. He wrote that the id "is directly connected with somatic processes, stems from instinctive needs and communicates psychic expression to them, but we cannot say in what substratum this connection is carried out." It acts as a reservoir for all primitive instinctive urges and draws its energy directly from bodily processes. It is subordinate the pleasure principle. Unlike the id, whose nature is to seek pleasure, the ego obeys reality principle, the purpose of which is to preserve the integrity of the organism by delaying the satisfaction of instincts until the moment when the opportunity to achieve discharge in a suitable way is found and / or appropriate conditions are found in the external environment. The reality principle enables the individual to inhibit, redirect, or gradually release the crude energy of the id within the social constraints and conscience of the individual. in his environment. All this is acquired in the process of "socialization"; in the language of the structural model of psychoanalysis - through the formation of the Super-I. Freud divided the Super-I into two subsystems - I-ideal and Conscience.
Currently, the theory of psychoanalysis is used in two aspects. CLINICAL PSYCHOANALYSIS And APPLIED PSYCHOANALYSIS.
APPLIED PSYCHOANALYSIS
APPLIED PSYCHOANALYSIS - the use of psychoanalytic ideas and concepts in various areas of theoretical knowledge and practical actions of people. It is customary to distinguish between clinical psychoanalysis, which deals with mental illness and involves appropriate work with patients, and applied psychoanalysis. The latter is associated, as a rule, with the use of psychoanalytic ideas and concepts in the fields of philosophy, sociology, economics, politics, pedagogy, religion, art, including the study of various manifestations of the individual and collective unconscious, biographies of scientists, politicians, writers, artists.
At the heart of the emergence of applied psychoanalysis lies the research activity of Z. Freud. Already at the initial stages of the formation and development of psychoanalysis as such, the ideas put forward by him about the unconscious activity of a person were reflected not only in clinical practice, but also in the interpretation of works of art. So, in the letters to the Berlin doctor W. Fliess, written by Z. Freud in the 90s of the 19th century, there are reflections related to the peculiar interpretation of such world masterpieces as Sophocles' Oedipus Rex and Shakespeare's Hamlet, which received its further development in his first fundamental psychoanalytic work, The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) and in his subsequent works. Subsequently, he paid considerable attention to the psychoanalytic understanding of wit, primitive religion, art, culture in general, which was the subject of a number of works that marked the beginning of the development of what is now commonly called applied psychoanalysis. These include such works as Wit and its Relation to the Unconscious (1905), The Artist and Fantasizing (1905), Delusions and Dreams in I. Jensen’s Gradiva (1907), Leonardo da Vinci’s Reminiscence on Early Childhood (1910), Totem and Taboo (1913), The Future of an Illusion (1927), Dostoevsky and Parricide (1928), Dissatisfaction with Culture (1930), Moses the Man and Monotheistic Religion (1938);
Many followers of Z. Freud began to use psychoanalytic ideas and concepts in biographical (pathographic) studies, in comprehending the history of the formation and development of culture, political and social structure, which contributed to the formation of applied psychoanalysis as a specific activity that went beyond clinical analysis, medicine. Thus, in modern psychoanalytic literature, the division into clinical and applied psychoanalysis has been established.
However, it should be borne in mind that Z. Freud himself considered such a division of psychoanalysis into clinical and applied is not correct. In The Problem of Amateur Analysis (1926), he drew attention to the fact that "in reality, the boundary lies between scientific psychoanalysis and its application (in the medical and non-medical fields)". In this sense, clinical psychoanalysis is also applied, based on the use of psychoanalytic ideas and concepts in the process of therapeutic activity.
CLINICAL PSYCHOANALYSIS (PA)
Clinical PA refers to a psychodynamic approach to therapy and was originally used in practice to treat hysteria. PA has changed significantly since the time of Freud, so in the future we will call it MODERN PSYCHOANALYSIS or just PA.
According to Freud's definition, "any treatment based on the understanding and application of the concepts of transference and resistance can be called psychoanalytic." The modern definition of psychoanalysis is similar. Psychoanalytic is a therapy that recognizes the existence of unconscious mental processes, which studies the motives of human behavior and development, which uses the concepts of resistance and transference. The setting of therapy itself has also changed. In Freud's time, PA was performed 5-6 times a week. Now it is customary to call PA therapy with such a frequency of meetings, if the setting is one or two meetings during the week, then this type of mental assistance is called psychoanalytically oriented therapy or psychoanalytically oriented therapy, which, however, does not beg its therapeutic effect.
Key concepts of clinical psychoanalysis (e.g., therapeutic relationship, transference, countertransference, resistance, insight, defense mechanisms) and rules of the game (such as inviting the patient to freely associate and recount dream material, focus on the here and now interaction, the analyst's offer to the client - lie on the couch, all this has been applied by modern psychoanalysis since the time of Freud.
INDICATIONS FOR PSYCHOANALYTICAL THERAPY.
Various forms of hysteria; - anxiety neuroses; - phobias; - neurotic depression; - psychosomatic disorders; - dysthymia; - obsessive-compulsive disorders; - conversion disorders; - affective disorders; - mild to moderate personality disorders; - autonomic functional disorders with an established mental etiology; - mental disorders caused by emotional deficits in early childhood; - mental disorders resulting from extreme situations.
TO WHOM PSYCHOANALYSIS IS CONTRAINDICATED.
Psychoanalysis cannot help a person who does not want to change.
"Everyone hates me!"
Even when we are really surrounded by bad people and they cause us suffering, often we unconsciously do our part to continue to stay in this situation, or even provoke it. When a person is sure that the causes of all his troubles lie in someone else, it is very difficult to help him. After all, if nothing depends on you, then you cannot change anything.
The mechanism of changes in the process of psychoanalytic therapy is as follows: a person begins to become more aware of his feelings and see how they affect his behavior, decisions made, how they determine his life strategies. Then he can change his behavior in certain situations or attitude towards certain people or things. To benefit from psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic therapy, it is not enough to want others to change. Only you can change yourself.
"You need to be treated!"
Also, you cannot force someone to undergo psychoanalysis. The great therapeutic potential of this method lies in the cooperation between analyst and client based on trust and respect. But it's impossible to trust, respect, and cooperate in a relationship you've been forced into.
If you think that someone close to you needs the help of a psychoanalyst, you can offer him a specialist, show him the possibilities, support his decision. But don't force it. A person who is forced to go to a psychoanalyst will resist cooperation, and will rather be convinced that he will not be helped here than benefit.
In psychoanalysis it is impossible to get everything at once.
Changes: Fast! Effective! For life! Choose any TWO options
If your main priority is very rapid change, and its depth and sustainability are secondary to you, then psychoanalysis is probably not the most effective method to achieve your goals.
Some psychoanalysts may offer you focussed short-term therapy that may address specific issues. This makes sense when the problems are not very serious and exist in one specific area. If there are a number of problems affecting different areas of life, or if one of your goals is to get to know yourself better, then longer-term work is effective.
Psychoanalysis is a deep psychological method, i.e. deals with the unconscious layers of the human psyche. Its advantage lies in the ability to change a person's life at a very deep level, helping him to realize what is hidden not only from prying eyes, but even from himself.
Psychoanalytic therapy is like diving into the depths of the ocean. This process should not be infinitely long, but it should have such a pace that the body adapts to what is happening and does not get injured. In psychoanalysis, the pace of progress also depends to a large extent on the capabilities and needs of the client's psyche.
Along with the desire to get rid of suffering and achieve positive changes, the psyche of any person is inherent in resistance to change. Non-traumatic overcoming of this resistance takes time.
Psychoanalysis is difficult for people who are unable to talk about their feelings.
"When you do not know the words, there is nothing to know people." (Confucius).
Psychoanalysis is a conversational method of psychotherapy, i.e. therapy happens in conversation. For a small child, learning to understand speech and speak is an opportunity to move to a qualitatively new level of understanding oneself, relationships with other people and the world. For an adult, talking about your feelings and finding names for your states is an opportunity to express and understand yourself much more.
Therefore, in psychoanalysis it is important that the client talks about what comes to his mind. The famous French psychoanalyst J. Lacan said that the unconscious is structured like a language. Thus, conversation opens the way in psychoanalysis to understanding the unconscious.
If a conversation is impossible for some reason, or a person experiences strong negative feelings when it is necessary to talk about himself, it makes sense to turn to other methods of psychotherapy (for example, art therapy, dance therapy, psychodrama, etc.)
Sometimes you don't need psychoanalysis
There are situations in life in which a person really needs help, but this is not psychoanalysis. What are these situations?
- Newly experienced mental and physical traumas, as well as situations of acute grief.
Here, the psychological support of loved ones is most needed. In case this is not enough, you can connect a specialist who will provide crisis assistance. Sometimes it also makes sense not to refuse short-term pharmacological assistance, which can alleviate the excessive burden on the psyche.
- Drug or heavy alcohol addiction
In these cases, the person certainly has psychological problems and needs help. But in these states, tangible chemical dependence also plays an essential role. This must be understood and appropriate measures taken to combat it. This is what narcologists specialize in.
The most effective way to cope with these addictions is recognized as programs built on the principles of "Alcoholics Anonymous" (12 steps).
- serious mental illness (psychosis, schizophrenia)
For people suffering from severe mental illness, modern pharmacology provides the opportunity to be in remission. It is very important that a person with a psychiatric diagnosis be in constant contact with an experienced psychiatrist who will be able to select pharmacological therapy adequate to the condition.
Psychological help in this case is also very important, but only such help is not enough.
A good psychoanalyst is interested in the client who turns to him to receive the most effective help. The specialist will select the most suitable approach for you or recommend the appropriate specialist.
If you have hesitations and doubts about psychoanalysis, you can seek the advice of a psychoanalyst who can help you make a decision for or against.
From the point of view of psychoanalysis, the key to understanding a person's mental illness should be sought in his subconscious. The use of psychoanalysis allows you to activate the unconscious and extract it from the depths of the psyche. Psychoanalysis is based on psychodynamic theories of personality, according to which the feelings and thinking of an individual are determined by internal factors, the interaction of the conscious with the unconscious.
The historical roots of psychodynamic theories of personality go back to the psychoanalysis of the Austrian scientist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). He believed that the cause of all mental disorders is the unresolved conflicts of childhood and the painful memories associated with them. According to Freud, human life, culture and creative processes are determined by primary, unconscious (especially sexual) drives. According to Freud, disorders of sexual desires play a decisive role in the formation of a pathological personality. Unpleasant experiences, repressed into the subconscious, are the cause of constant internal conflict, which eventually leads to the development of a mental or neurological disease. Taking the main provisions of Freud's theory as a basis, his student, the Austrian psychiatrist Alfred Adler (1870-1937), created an individual psychology, according to which the main driving forces for the development of the individual are the desire for superiority, perfection and a sense of community.
Various forms of psychopathology and social deviations are associated with the underdevelopment of a sense of community. Meanwhile, according to the Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung (Jung 1875-1961), mental disorders are caused not so much by childhood memories as by a person's real well-being. The images that arise in the subconscious are innate, they are associated with evolution, the history of mankind, and social consciousness. Neopsychoanalysis relies on and develops some of Freud's statements. The healing process in dynamic psychotherapy has as its ultimate goal the realization of the “unconscious”.
Therapeutic action
There are differences and even contradictions between the directions of psychoanalysis, but in general they are quite similar. Freud's psychoanalysis tries to find the causes of illness in the unconscious by analyzing dreams, childhood memories, free associations. Over time, a kind of picture of a person’s subconscious is formed from individual parts, the causes of his internal conflicts emerge. The task of the psychotherapist is to help the patient to realize them.
An important aspect of psychoanalysis is the patient's resistance to treatment. By the nature and intensity of the resistance, the therapist can understand which unconscious conflicts the patient most wants to push into the subconscious. In order for the patient to fully open up, he must trust his psychotherapist, a spiritual connection must be established between them. The connection between the doctor and the patient decreases after the conflicts are recognized and resolved - then the patient is left alone with them.
The Effectiveness of Psychoanalysis
If depth psychotherapy is effective, then the patient overcomes his internal conflicts and can lead a normal life.
Often during treatment, the patient begins to doubt its effectiveness. However, in order to feel the beneficial effects of psychoanalysis, a lot of time must pass. Even if at first psychotherapy does not give positive results, it should not be interrupted.
When is psychoanalysis used?
Psychoanalysis is used to treat various personality disorders. It gives positive results in depression, phobias, neuroses, personality pathologies, psychosomatic diseases.
Psychoanalytic therapy is contraindicated for children suffering from mental illness. These children have difficulty expressing their thoughts. They do not realize that they are mentally ill. Therefore, for the treatment of children, it is recommended to use other methods, for example, games that contribute to their self-expression.
